Thursday, March 21, 2019

21st March,2019 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter


 Suitable post-harvest tech to help improve income
THRISSUR, MARCH 20, 2019 23:17 IST
Description: https://th.thgim.com/news/national/kerala/q2x5b2/article26593843.ece/alternates/FREE_660/21TVPADDY

Three-day meeting held at Kerala Agricultural University

The Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in Kerala and Lakshadweep will focus on soil fertility management, productivity enhancement of major crops, and value addition and entrepreneurship development in agriculture.
The strategies and action plan for this were discussed and finalised at a three-day meeting held at the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) under the leadership of the ICAR Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute (ATARI), Bangaluru.
ATARI Director M.J. Chandra Gowda told the KVK scientists that presenting the most viable and pragmatic technology to the farming community should be their priority. Location-specific trials to establish efficacy of technologies should be taken up to enthuse farmers and induce confidence in them, he said.
Enhanced productivity and appropriate post-harvest technology would help improve farmers’ income, Dr. Gowda added. He discussed the innovative strategies with Vice Chancellor R. Chandra Babu, who offered full support to the system.
The conclave decided to introduce latest technologies to main extension system through on-farm trials, frontline demonstrations, and training programmes. The thrust will be on integrated farming systems and biological control for plant health management.

Key areas

The main technologies recommended for adoption are bio-intensive management of emerging pests in coconut, vegetables, and paddy; use of granular dolomite for management of acidity in paddy fields; nutritional vegetable gardens; microbial consortium for improving water quality in fish ponds; inter-cropping of horsegram in coconut gardens; crop rotation with little millet as a climate-smart crop; introducing short-duration, heat-tolerant pulses in rice fallows; use of coir pith for wick irrigation etc.
Scientists from fourteen KVKs in Kerala and the Lakshadweep KVK participated in the discussions led by KAU Director of Extension Jiju P. Alex and ATARI scientists D.V. Srinivasa Reddy and B.T. Raidu.
India’s biodiversity-rich zones also ‘hotspots’ of human impacts 
It ranks 16th in the world with 35 species affected on an averageThe Hindu
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Bengal famine of 1943 caused by British policy failure, not drought: IIT Gandhinagar

IIT Gandhinagar scientists said that policy lapses such as prioritising distribution of vital supplies to the military, civil services and stopping rice imports led to the famine.
Published: 20th March 2019 03:22 PM  |   Last Updated: 20th March 2019 03:22 PM  |  
Description: Turkana, Kenya, Drought, Africa, famine, lokitaung
Image used for representational purpose
By PTI
GANDHINAGAR: The 1943 Bengal famine, which is estimated to have caused over three million deaths, resulted not from drought as is widely thought but from the British government's policy failures, say IIT Gandhinagar scientists who have analysed 150 years of drought data.
Policy lapses such as prioritising distribution of vital supplies to the military, civil services and others as well as stopping rice imports and not declaring Bengal famine hit were among the factors that led to the magnitude of the tragedy, historians have maintained.
Now, for the first time, researchers have analysed soil moisture database from 1870 to 2016 to reconstruct agricultural droughts.
Between 1935-45, the famine-affected region, which was Bengal, had no drought, the team from the Indian Institute of Technology here found. "We are trying to understand the entire history of droughts in India and what is the likelihood they will occur in future," said Vimal Mishra, assistant professor at the institute. "Famines that occurred during the British period caused the deaths of millions. We investigated the factors behind the causes of these deaths -droughts or policy failures. The Bengal famine of 1943 was completely because of policy failure," he told PTI. Aside from the 1943 Bengal famine, all other famines during 1870 and 2016, appear to be related, at least in part, to widespread soil moisture droughts, Mishra said.
While historians have documented policy failures that led to the Bengal famine, this is the first time scientists have used soil moisture data to show there was no drought in Bengal during the period preceding the famine.
After analysing over 150 years of data for the study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, researchers identified seven major droughts and six major famines in India. "Out of six major famines (1873-74, 1876, 1877, 1896-97, 1899, and 1943) that occurred during 1870-2016, five are linked to soil moisture drought, and one (1943) was not," researchers wrote in the study. "At the time, there was not much irrigation, groundwater pumping was not happening because electricity or mechanical pumps were not available," Mishra said.
The last major famine in the British era occurred in 1943, which is also known as the Bengal famine. The famine resulted in two-three million deaths. "We identified 1935-45 as a period under drought, but the famine-affected region, which was Bengal, had no drought during this period," said Mishra. "We find that the Bengal famine was likely caused by other factors related at least in part to the ongoing threat of World War II -- including malaria, starvation and malnutrition," he added.
Previous research has shown that in early 1943, military and other political events adversely affected the Bengal economy. "We did a very solid diagnosis for each famine that happened in Bengal and Bihar -- which was part of the northeastern province of Awadh in the British period," Mishra said. "What was unique in the 1873-74 famine was that there were 25 million people affected but low mortality due to famine," he added.
According to Mishra, this low mortality was due to food imports from Burma, and timely relief aid provided by the British government. Then Bengal lieutenant governor Richard Temple imported, distributed food and relief money and that saved a lot of lives, he said. "The famine was over in 1874, with 17 per cent surplus monsoon rainfall and good food production. But Temple was heavily criticised by the British for over expenditure," said Mishra.
In the 1876-77 famine, which affected south India in 1876 and north India in 1877, over 30 million people were impacted. The study suggests that at least six-10 million people died because measures to provide relief and employment were not taken at the time.
According to the study, the expansion of irrigation, better public distribution system, rural employment, and transportation reduced the impact of drought on the lives of people after Independence. Mishra expressed the hope that a comprehensive analysis of the history of droughts and famines in the country can help prepare for such disasters in the future.
According to experts, following the Japanese occupation of Burma in 1942, rice imports stopped, and Bengal's market supplies and transport systems were disrupted. The British government also prioritised distribution of vital supplies to the military, civil servants and other "priority classes". The policy failures began with the provincial government's denial that a famine existed.
Humanitarian aid was ineffective through the worst months of the food crisis, and the government never formally declared a state of famine. It first attempted to influence the price of rice, but these measures created a black market and encouraged sellers to withhold stocks.
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Soil moisture data shows Bengal famine caused due to British govt policy failure: IIT

Devdiscourse News Desk Gandhinagar India 

Updated: 20-03-2019 14:34 IST Created: 20-03-2019 12:37 IST
Aside from the 1943 Bengal famine, all other famines during 1870 and 2016, appear to be related, at least in part, to widespread soil moisture droughts, Mishra said. Image Credit: Wikimedia
The 1943 Bengal famine, which is estimated to have caused over three million deaths, resulted not from drought as is widely thought but from the Britishgovernment's policy failures, say IIT Gandhinagarscientists who have analysed 150 years of drought data. Policy lapses such as prioritising distribution of vital supplies to the military, civil services and others as well as stopping rice imports and not declaring Bengalfamine hit were among the factors that led to the magnitude of the tragedy, historians have maintained.
Now, for the first time, researchers have analysed soil moisture database from 1870 to 2016 to reconstruct agricultural droughts. Between 1935-45, the famine-affected region, which was Bengal, had no drought, the team from the Indian Institute of Technology here found.
"We are trying to understand the entire history of droughts in India and what is the likelihood they will occur in future," said Vimal Mishra, assistant professor at the institute. "Famines that occurred during the British period caused the deaths of millions. We investigated the factors behind the causes of these deaths -- droughts or policy failures," he told PTI.
The Bengal famine of 1943 was "completely because of policy failure", he said. Aside from the 1943 Bengal famine, all other famines during 1870 and 2016, appear to be related, at least in part, to widespread soil moisture droughts, Mishra said. While historians have documented policy failures that led to the Bengal famine, this is the first time scientists have used soil moisture data to show there was no drought in Bengal during the period preceding the famine.
After analysing over 150 years of data for the study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, researchers identified seven major droughts and six major famines in India. "Out of six major famines (1873–74, 1876, 1877, 1896–97, 1899, and 1943) that occurred during 1870–2016, five are linked to soil moisture drought, and one (1943) was not," researchers wrote in the study.
"At the time, there was not much irrigation, groundwater pumping was not happening because electricity or mechanical pumps were not available," Mishra said. The last major famine in the British era occurred in 1943, which is also known as the Bengal famine. The famine resulted in two-three million deaths.
"We identified 1935-45 as a period under drought, but the famine-affected region, which was Bengal, had no drought during this period," said Mishra. "We find that the Bengal famine was likely caused by other factors related at least in part to the ongoing threat of World War II -- including malaria, starvation and malnutrition," he added.
Previous research has shown that in early 1943, military and other political events adversely affected the Bengal economy. "We did a very solid diagnosis for each famine that happened in Bengal and Bihar -- which was part of the northeastern province of Awadh in the British period," Mishra said.
"What was unique in the 1873-74 famine was that there were 25 million people affected but low mortality due to famine," he added. According to Mishra, this low mortality was due to food imports from Burma, and timely relief aid provided by the British government. Then Bengal lieutenant governor Richard Temple imported, distributed food and relief money and that saved a lot of lives, he said.
"The famine was over in 1874, with 17 per cent surplus monsoon rainfall and good food production. But Temple was heavily criticised by the British for over expenditure," said Mishra. In the 1876-77 famine, which affected south India in 1876 and north India in 1877, over 30 million people were impacted. The study suggests that at least six-10 million people died because measures to provide relief and employment were not taken at the time.
According to the study, the expansion of irrigation, better public distribution system, rural employment, and transportation reduced the impact of drought on the lives of people after Independence. Mishra expressed the hope that a comprehensive analysis of the history of droughts and famines in the country can help prepare for such disasters in the future.
According to experts, following the Japanese occupation of Burma in 1942, rice imports stopped, and Bengal's market supplies and transport systems were disrupted. The British government also prioritised distribution of vital supplies to the military, civil servants and other "priority classes". The policy failures began with the provincial government's denial that a famine existed. Humanitarian aid was ineffective through the worst months of the food crisis, and the governmentnever formally declared a state of famine. It first attempted to influence the price of rice, but these measures created a black market and encouraged sellers to withhold stocks.

Innovative irrigation system could future-proof India’s major cereals

by Vanessa Meadu | @CIMMYT | CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center)
Wednesday, 20 March 2019 16:43 GMT

* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Farmers can grow rice and wheat with 40 percent less water and overcome the threat of future shortages, says new study
To grow more food for more people under a changing climate, radical changes are needed to how we use water and other precious resources. Nowhere is this more obvious than India, where a growing demand for food combined with climate change is putting serious pressure on groundwater resources, especially in the populous Indo-Gangetic Plains. This area in the country’s northwest is the most important production area for India’s two staple cereals: rice and wheat. Science is confronting this challenge: a pioneering study demonstrates how rice and wheat can be grown using 40 percent less water, through an innovative combination of existing irrigation and cropping techniques. The study’s authors, from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), Punjab Agricultural University and Thapar University, claim farmers can grow similar or better yields than conventional growing methods, and still make a profit.
The role and impact of rice and wheat
Rice-wheat farming systems dominate India’s agriculture, providing 75 percent of national food grain production, which translates to essential food, nutrition and income for hundreds of millions of people. Traditionally, farmers grow rice and wheat in rotation, planting a wheat crop following the rice harvest and so forth. This system has long benefited farmers with steady food and income, and provided insurance against failed crops, while rebalancing soil health and moisture.
But traditional management of these two crops is no longer sustainable. Conventional flood irrigation consumes vast quantities of water and energy, is labor-intensive, and can deteriorate soil health. Overuse of nitrogen-based fertilizers can pollute waterways and emit harmful greenhouse gases that cause climate change. To prepare their fields, farmers typically remove and burn residual stalks and stems, an inexpensive approach that generates dangerous pollution. Residue burning also wastes a precious resource: there is a large body of evidence on the benefits of recycling residues back into the soil, including regulating soil temperature and moisture, improving soil health, and increasing yields.
Faced with these problems, scientists and the government have been looking for ways to grow more wheat and rice with less water, and environmental damage.
The search for solutions
Until now, there has been little evidence about which combination of water saving techniques will maintain yields while remaining sustainable and affordable. Existing options include drip-irrigation, which offers an efficient alternative to traditional flood irrigation. Farmers use a network of aboveground pipes to deliver precise quantities of water into the soil around each plant. Pipes laid belowground, known as subsurface drip irrigation, target the plant’s root zone and eliminate evaporation from the soil. Drip irrigation systems can also deliver a dose of fertilizer directly to the plants, a practice known as “fertigation.” Despite these possibilities, there is little understanding of the best way to design an irrigation network that can work for both rice and wheat crops with no modifications between rotations.
The researchers tested eight combinations of promising techniques over a two-year period to understand which methods could help farmers save water and money. For each mix of approaches, they measured the ratio of grain yield to the amount of water and fertilizer applied, as well as costs — such as equipment and labor — and additional revenue that farmers would earn from using the techniques. 
An optimal system for rice and wheat
The study found that rice and wheat grown using a sub-surface drip fertigation system, and combined with conservation agriculture approaches — zero till, retaining residues on soil surface and dry seeding — used at least 40 percent less water than flood irrigation for the same amount of yields, and would still be cost-effective for farmers. As well, the study found that both rice and wheat needed 20 percent less nitrogen-based fertilizer (urea) under a sub-surface drip fertigation system to obtain grain yields similar to that under flood-irrigated crops, which could improve ecosystem health and cut greenhouse gas emissions. The study outlines the optimal design of a subsurface drip irrigation system for conservation agriculture-based rice-wheat systems, offering valuable guidance for farmers and policy makers.
“We urgently need rice and wheat farming to become more water efficient,” said Balwinder Singh Sidhu, Agriculture Commissioner at the Government of Punjab. “These findings offer unique and practical solutions for India’s farmers in general and Punjab in particular, and also offer hope for a sustainable and food-secure future,” he said.
Putting the findings into action
This research shows that it is possible to dramatically reduce the amount of groundwater needed for irrigation while improving rice and wheat productivity in northwest India, as well other areas facing shortages. The study demonstrates this can be accomplished with significant benefits to farmers, saving them input costs and labor.  But this transformation will not happen overnight.
Although farmers in this region are known for their willingness to adopt new technologies and practices, there is still a long way to go before sub-surface drip fertigation systems become mainstream. In India, government subsidies are important drivers for agricultural technology adoption, but the current policy landscape still rewards inefficient resource use, says ML Jat, a CIMMYT Principal Scientist who co-led the study:
“At present, the government provides farmers with subsidies for water, electricity, machinery and fertilizer, irrespective of efficiency,” he said. “But we cannot afford to have free water and electricity and still ensure agricultural sustainability in the region. The government can support farmers to adopt more efficient practices, by incentivizing only those systems that use resources sustainably,” he explained.
Further efforts are also needed to promote conservation agriculture, even though India’s rice-wheat farmers have made great strides in implementing these practices over the past two decades.
The authors point to signs of progress. For example, the Government of Punjab is testing alternatives to a blanket electrical subsidy for pumping water for irrigation, by piloting a direct benefit transfer on electricity to farmers. This would encourage farmers to be frugal about the electricity they use for pumping water, and drive them to adopt more approaches that economize water use in intensive rice-wheat systems.
“Governments in the region recognize the magnitude and complexity of the water, soil and air pollution problem,” said ML Jat. “Leaders are looking towards doubling farmers’ productivity while protecting natural resources,” he stated. “The future of farming depends on strong policies that prioritize investments in these promising approaches.”
Read more
Sidhu HS, Jat ML, Singh Y, Sidhu RK, Gupta N, Singh P, Singh P, Jat HS, Gerard B. 2019. Sub-surface drip fertigation with conservation agriculture in a rice-wheat system: A breakthrough for addressing water and nitrogen use efficiency. Agricultural Water Management. 216:1 (273-283). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2019.02.019
Acknowledgments
The study received funding from the CGIAR Research Program on Wheat (WHEAT), the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Government of Punjab. The authors acknowledge the contributions of the field staff at BISA and CIMMYT based at Ludhiana, Punjab state.

Early Rains Boost Prospects for Nigeria's Rice Crop, Farmers Say

By Ruth Olurounbi
March 20, 2019, 5:07 PM GMT+5
Early rains in Nigeria’s rice-growing regions have boosted prospects for a good harvest, according to the farmers association, increasing the likelihood of lower imports by one of the world’s top buyers of the grain.
“We have experienced early rains in the central states and in the northeast,” Aminu Goronyo, president of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, said by phone from Abuja, the capital. “From all indications, we expect a bumper harvest thanks to favorable weather.”
Nigeria currently produces 4.8 million metric tons of the grain a year and has to import the balance to meet domestic consumption estimated at more than 8 million tons a year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Nigeria’s Agriculture Ministry insists local output has reached 7 million tons a year, with the government expecting to cut as much as 1.9 million tons of rice imports next year.
Rice farmers are getting government support through a program backed by the central bank to provide them with low-interest credit, helping draw more farmers to the crop, according to Goronyo

Ghana to end tomato imports, cut rice imports by 50% in 2019

Ministry of Food and Agriculture says it is looking to cut down imports of rice by 50 per cent as well as end the importation of tomato this year.

Ghana imported about 75 thousand metric tons of tomatoes in 2017

Description: Tomato Imports65Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, George Oduro said the government is working to cut the levels of food import significantly.He said “this year alone, our target it to stop the importation of rice by 50 per cent. Then for tomato too, we hope to end it importation completely so that we produce enough even for export because we have the capacity to do so.”

According to him, efforts to expand irrigation projects, the introduction of mechanization are among the efforts to help boost production.

Mr Oduro was speaking at a breakfast meeting held by Integrity magazine on the theme ‘Opportunities for Ghana Israel Business Cooperation in Agriculture Innovation and Technology.’

The event brought together various stakeholders along the agriculture value chain to discuss the role of agriculture and how to boost its contribution to the nation’s GDP.

According to the Israeli Ambassador to Ghana Shani Cooper, his government will continue to invest in Ghana’s Agric sector.

“We have so many investments in Ghana worth hundreds of millions of dollars but we believe aid comes with commerce so we also doing a lot n capacity building for farmers. We are also working to attract more investors from Israel to Ghana in the agriculture sector to boost commerce between the two states” Madam Cooper said.

Meanwhile CEO of Integrity Magazine organizers of the event, Reverend Kenedy Okosun said developing the Agric sector is fundamental to the nation’s development.

“You know by increasing our production we can start to export food out of the country. By doing so we can address one of our big issues with the currency so we can have enough supply for other investors who want to go into industrialization or other businesses,” he said.

Records from the Ministry shows that in 2017, Ghana imported some 656.232 Metric Tons of rice worth $331.2 million.

In the same period, some 75 thousand metric tons of tomatoes was also imported to meet domestic demand as the situation the Ministry describes as worrying.

Early rains boost prospects for rice production – Nigerian farmers

Description: Rice Farmers Photo Credit: Agro Nigeria
Rice Farmers used to illustrate the story [Photo Credit: Agro Nigeria]
Despite the fear of a shortage of rice in 2019 due to flooding incidents last year, Nigerian farmers have said the early rains in the country’s rice-growing regions had boosted prospects for a good harvest.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, had earlier predicted a shortage of rice in the country if appropriate measures were not taken to replant after places like Jigawa, Kebbi, Anambra, and Kogi were affected by the flood.
Bloomberg quoted the president of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Aminu Goronyo, as saying “We have experienced early rains in the central states and the northeast, from all indications, we expect a bumper harvest thanks to favourable weather.”
The boost increases the likelihood of lower import by the country as Nigeria’s rice importation figures kept reducing since 2015.
Nigeria currently produces 4.8 million metric tons of the grain a year and must import the balance to meet domestic consumption estimated at more than eight million tons a year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Nigeria’s Agriculture Ministry insists local output has reached seven million tons a year, with the government expecting to cut as much as 1.9 million tons of rice imports next year.
Rice farmers are getting government support through a program backed by the Central Bank of Nigeria to provide them with low-interest credit, helping draw more farmers to the crop, according to Mr Goronyo.

Nigeria: Early Rains Boost Prospects for Rice Production - Nigerian Farmers

Tagged:
By Ayodeji Adegboyega
Despite the fear of a shortage of rice in 2019 due to flooding incidents last year, Nigerian farmers have said the early rains in the country's rice-growing regions had boosted prospects for a good harvest.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, had earlier predicted a shortage of rice in the country if appropriate measures were not taken to replant after places like Jigawa, Kebbi, Anambra, and Kogi were affected by the flood.
Bloomberg quoted the president of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Aminu Goronyo, as saying "We have experienced early rains in the central states and the northeast, from all indications, we expect a bumper harvest thanks to favourable weather."
The boost increases the likelihood of lower import by the country as Nigeria's rice importation figures kept reducing since 2015.
Nigeria currently produces 4.8 million metric tons of the grain a year and must import the balance to meet domestic consumption estimated at more than eight million tons a year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Nigeria's Agriculture Ministry insists local output has reached seven million tons a year, with the government expecting to cut as much as 1.9 million tons of rice imports next year.
Rice farmers are getting government support through a program backed by the Central Bank of Nigeria to provide them with low-interest credit, helping draw more farmers to the crop, according to Mr Goronyo.

Nigeria

.

Nigeria: Early Rains Boost Prospects for Rice Production - Nigerian Farmers

Tagged:
By Ayodeji Adegboyega
Despite the fear of a shortage of rice in 2019 due to flooding incidents last year, Nigerian farmers have said the early rains in the country's rice-growing regions had boosted prospects for a good harvest.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, had earlier predicted a shortage of rice in the country if appropriate measures were not taken to replant after places like Jigawa, Kebbi, Anambra, and Kogi were affected by the flood.
Bloomberg quoted the president of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Aminu Goronyo, as saying "We have experienced early rains in the central states and the northeast, from all indications, we expect a bumper harvest thanks to favourable weather."
The boost increases the likelihood of lower import by the country as Nigeria's rice importation figures kept reducing since 2015.
Nigeria currently produces 4.8 million metric tons of the grain a year and must import the balance to meet domestic consumption estimated at more than eight million tons a year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Nigeria's Agriculture Ministry insists local output has reached seven million tons a year, with the government expecting to cut as much as 1.9 million tons of rice imports next year.
Rice farmers are getting government support through a program backed by the Central Bank of Nigeria to provide them with low-interest credit, helping draw more farmers to the crop, according to Mr Goronyo.

Nigeria

Vietnam sees bright prospects for rice exports
Rice exports are expected to recover in the second quarter of this year, boosted by encouraging market signs.

Description: Vietnam sees bright prospects for rice exports, vietnam economy, business news, vn news, vietnamnet bridge, english news, Vietnam news, news Vietnam, vietnamnet news, vn news, Vietnam net news, Vietnam latest news, Vietnam breaking news

According to the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), Vietnamese rice shipments have stayed in good shape from the beginning of March thanks to the robust demand from Iraq, Malaysia, Cuba and China.
Iraq has already signed a deal to purchase 120,000 tonnes of the grain from Vietnam. Exporters expect to ship some 300,000 tonnes to the Southwest Asian country in 2019, equal to the same amount from the previous year.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s commodities procurement agency Bernas sealed an agreement with the Vietnam Northern Food Corporation (Vinafood 1) to buy 25,000 tonnes of 5 percent broken rice. Bernas has requested express delivery for the order to ensure sufficient rice supply in the country.
Negotiations are underway with importers from the Philippines and China. Vietnam is gaining competitive edge over its rivals as the price of 5 percent broken rice in March stands at 340 USD per tonne, much lower than the same kind from India, Pakistan and Thailand which are sold at 370 USD, 360 USD, and 388 USD per tonne, respectively.
In addition, the VFA is hoping for a rice export deal with the Republic of Korea via the Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs) system. Last year, Vietnam supplied more than 113,000 tonnes for the East Asian market through the TRQs.
Along with such key markets, Vietnam is seeking to get new rice buyers, with Saudi Arabia deemed as a potential market, especially as harsh weather conditions hamper its rice production, driving the country to rely on rice imports. Last year, the country’s consumption of the grain was estimated at 1.27 million tonnes.
India is the largest rice provider for Saudi Arabia, accounting for 79 percent of the market share, followed by the US (6 percent), Pakistan (6 percent), Thailand (5 percent), and Vietnam (2 percent).
Vietnam shipped 22,000 tonnes of rice to the country in 2018, and the figure is expected to increase in the coming time. –VNA


Researcher finds rare fish in the James River

Description: https://commonwealthtimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/KIMG0293-678x381.jpg
Baby Atlantic sturgeon have been scarce in the James River for the last 10 years. Photo courtesy of Matthew Balazik
Walter Chidozie Anyanwu, Contributing Writer

Matt Balazik, along with his colleagues at the Rice Rivers Center, has been trawling the James River for years trying to find traces of the Atlantic sturgeon, a species of fish that was declared endangered in 2012.
The researchers were working on this project for eight years before they began making progress last fall with the discovery of baby sturgeon in the James River — significant because of their scarcity.
“We had no idea what we were doing, but we went out with some other researchers to see if we could catch them. That was back it 2007,” Balazik said. “Through persistence and effort, we got pretty good at catching them. We were catching plenty of adults, but the important thing was to catch the young ones — the babies.”
The Rice Rivers Center, owned and operated by VCU and located along the James River, is dedicated to environmental research and is leading the Virginia Sturgeon Restoration Team’s effort to reestablish the sturgeon population in Virginia. It receives funding from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Initially, the researchers noticed the robust adult sturgeon population in the James River. In the last 10 years, however, there have been few young sturgeon reported in their findings.
“It’s been scary how few young ones we’ve been finding. It’s great to have an adult population spawning, but if they’re not having success it doesn’t matter,” Balazik said. “Because we need new young fish to take the place of the older fish as they die.”
Every river population has completely different spawning patterns, and Balazik thinks some answers to the shortage of young sturgeon can be found by looking closely at these patterns. The patterns are affected a lot by the river’s flow. More flow leads to a greater chance of successful spawning.  
The James River has had a particularly successful spawning season this year, and Balazik attributes that to the river’s high flow.
“That’s the way it naturally is in the James. You have a few [fish] that survive during the normal flow year, but then we have a really strong run, a really wet year,” Balazik said. “Then there’s a population boom. It’ll really bump up the future population.”
While there isn’t enough data to back up this claim, Balazik said there are a lot of factors connecting high river flow with successful spawning. For one thing, the water level’s rise allows the sturgeon to reach their spawning habitats and clean them out more easily. The sturgeons need clean, solid substrate to spawn. Their eggs are very sticky and dense, so if there’s a lot of sediment, it will build on the eggs and suffocate them.
“We’re very ignorant [right now], and we’re just learning as we go,” Balazik said. “We’re in uncharted territory right now.”

Toxic fungi detected in cereals

Thursday, 21 March 2019 | Charvee Sharma
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR) have detected the presence of a toxin—‘zearalenone' in 84 per cent of the cereals tested in Uttar Pradesh, says Charvee Sharma
Zearalenone is a toxin produced by soil fungi which behaves like an endocrine disruptor in humans. This means that this fungus can possibly lead to hormonal imbalances, birth defects and other developmental disorders. Various studies have also indicated signs of early puberty in girls on exposure to high intake of this toxin.
The findings of this research published in the ‘Journal of Food Science’ present a quantitative assessment of zearalenone contamination in cereals based on their daily consumption values. The experiment was carried on 117 unbranded samples of corn, wheat, rice and oats in Uttar Pradesh. After analysing the average cereal consumed, the daily intake of zearalenone in rice was found to be 17 times higher than the prescribed limit by the European Food Safety Authority Standards (EFSA). In case of wheat samples, the daily intake of zearalenone was seven times higher than EFSA limits.
In India, regulatory mechanisms are in place to control the contamination of fungal toxins which have previously lead to disease outbreaks in humans and animals, including aflatoxins which affects nuts, deoxynivalenol and ergot, which infests cereal grains. Last year, 56 cows were found dead after grazing on post harvest cuttings of maize, which was later found to be contaminated by aflatoxins in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh.
Being a tropical country, the warm and humid climate of India inherently provides favourable conditions for mould infection to develop in food crops. Hot weather also compliments the nature of zearalenone, which can endure very high temperatures. Zearalenone starts to accumulate as storage protein in the cereal grains during the storing, milling and other high temperature processing.
The important fact to note about zearalenone is that the spores of this fungus are permeating, which makes all cereal grain vulnerable to invasion and infestation. Geographical factors and environmental conditions such as erratic rain and high moisture makes fungal infection thrive in standing crops as well as stored food grains in warehouses, after harvest. “In the absence of any regulatory limits, the Indian population is at a greater risk of zearalenone exposure by consuming highly contaminated cereals,” says Mukul Das, a senior toxicologist who designed the study.  When asked about the presence of zearalenone in food grain, consumers in local market of Delhi said that they were now ‘simply apprehensive about the food they are consuming’.
While the research was conducted on cereal samples in Uttar Pradesh, the presence of this toxic fungus has indicated a potential risk for the Indian population. However, there is a need of further examination and quantitative analysis at the national level.
Considering the fact that about 80 per cent of the Indian population consumes wheat and rice as their staple food, the exposure risk assessment of zearalenone serves as an important revelation for ensuring food safety. This also calls for immediate regulatory framework by the FSSAI to prescribe limits for zearalenone.
(The author is an engineer.)
At Midpoint, New Social Media Campaign Yields Notable 15.9M Impressions 
 ARLINGTON, VA -- In September, USA Rice launched its partnership with The FeedFeed agency, the largest and most engaged digital cooking community, to conduct a year-long campaign with goals to drive mass awareness and celebrate U.S.-grown rice, develop engaging content, and educate audiences on the benefits of rice consumption. 

The campaign consists of four well-rounded Instagram influencers who were selected based on their past work and overall messaging to bring attention to U.S.-grown rice for its versatility, high quality, and ability to match different diet restrictions.  This strategy uses visual storytelling via Instagram to raise awareness throughout the year, which then is amplified across FeedFeed's and USA Rice's multiple accounts. 

Each influencer was tasked with creating four unique and on-trend recipes using U.S.-grown rice along with photography, a blog post, and an Instagram post per each recipe.   Examples of the unique recipes include Brown Rice Jambalaya, Spicy Chicken and Rice Soup, Congee with Spinach & Shiitake, and Provencal Braised Chicken with white rice.  To further increase exposure, influencer recipes were included in FeedFeed's weekly meal planners, featured on 
USA Rice's recipe feed on thefeedfeed.com, and highlighted on IGTV through FeedFeed's digital TV series. 

At the halfway point of the partnership, 10 original recipes that featured U.S.-grown rice and messaging have been posted by influencers and amplified by The FeedFeed and USA Rice.  Collectively, the recipe posts, regrams, newsletters, and videos generated nearly 16 million impressions and 148,000 interactions.  In addition to the immediate impact of the campaign, USA Rice retains the right to use and access all created recipes, videos, and photos across social media channels.

"To say we're pleased with the results from this campaign, at just the halfway point, is an understatement," said Cameron Jacobs, USA Rice domestic promotions manager.  "This was a new activity for domestic promotion and it's exciting to be reaching demographics like millennials, foodies, and conscious consumers.  We still have work to do to expand USA Rice's audience and continue to raise awareness of U.S.-grown rice but, so far, this campaign has exceeded expectations."  
The campaign will conclude in June with six remaining influencer recipes to be posted, a second FeedFeed TV episode to be filmed, and a FeedFeed editorial article focused on educating about U.S.-grown rice to be published. 

Jacobs concluded, "With four months left of planned campaign activations, we are excited to see the remaining recipe concepts along with final outreach and engagement figures come July.  USA Rice members should be excited about this significant step into the digital space and future consumer activations in partnership with The FeedFeed."

Unfair Harvest: The state of rice in Asia
Small-scale producers grow most of the rice in Asia, playing a significant role in providing food security, jobs and income across the region. However, a combination of worsening inequality in food value chains and the crippling impacts of climate change is leaving rice farming systems at a critical juncture. These challenges threaten the future viability of rice production that underpins the livelihoods and primary food source for millions of people. New research commissioned by Oxfam shows that rice farmers in some countries can receive as little as 4% of the price paid by consumers. This has implications for poverty: in Nepal, farmers’ income from rice farming is estimated at just 13% of the amount needed for a basic but decent income. The burden is particularly bad for women farming and working in the Asian rice sector: they receive lower wages and often suffer discrimination. There are opportunities for change. For example, smarter government regulation to protect workers’ rights and empower small-scale producers can support better returns for farmers; and responsible private sector investment can support small-scale producers to benefit from rapidly modernizing rice markets. This paper puts forward a vision for a more equitable, sustainable and climate-resilient rice sector; and provides recommendations for governments and the private sector to help achieve that vision.
Indian rice export prices up on strong rupee
Rice export rates in India rose this week due to an appreciation in the rupee, even as demand remained moderate, while Thai traders struggled with a lack of interest from foreign markets due to high prices. India's 5 percent broken parboiled variety rose to $386-$389 per tonne from last week's $383-$386. "The rising rupee is forcing us to raise prices. Demand is moderate," said an exporter based at Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. The rupee was trading near its highest level in more than two months, trimming returns from overseas sales for traders in the world's biggest exporter of the staple. In Thailand, the world's second-biggest rice exporter, benchmark 5 percent broken rice prices were quoted at $380-$385, free on board Bangkok, mostly unchanged from last week's $380-$390. Demand remained flat and the price fluctuation was due to the exchange rate between the local currency baht and the US dollar, traders said. "Domestic prices have slightly increased this week but because the baht has weakened, the export price remains relatively same," a Bangkok-based rice trader said. However, the baht's gains over the past few months have prevented domestic prices from falling, denting demand for Thai rice overseas, another trader said. Higher domestic rates translate into increased procurement costs for exporters.
The market has also seen an influx of new supply, which is yet to impact export prices, according to traders. Meanwhile in Bangladesh, rain-fed rice output or Aman crop is estimated to hit 14 million tonnes this season from 13.5 million tonnes in the previous year, due to favourable weather, Mizanur Rahman, a senior official of Department of Agriculture Extension, told Reuters on Thursday.
The Aman crop is the second biggest rice crop after the summer variety, Boro. It is cultivated during December and January, and makes up for about 38 percent of Bangladesh's total rice production, which is around 35 million tonnes. The south Asian country, which emerged as a major importer in 2017 after floods damaged its crops, imposed 28 percent duty to support its farmers after local production revived in 2018.
Crop-damaging armyworms raise growing sense of alarm in Asia, FAO says
MARCH 20, 2019 / 7:42 AM
A farmer shows a corn shoot infested with fall armyworm at his farm in Narayangaon village in the western state of Maharashtra, India, December 18, 2018. Picture taken December 18, 2018. REUTERS/Rajendra Jadhav
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Farming in several Asian countries is under threat from a type of crop-damaging insects that have munched their way from the Americas and across Africa, the United Nations’ food agency said on Wednesday as global experts commence a three-day meeting to discuss ways to limit the damage.‘Fall armyworms’ are native to the Americas but they have been moving eastwards since 2016, sweeping across Africa, where they caused $1-3 billion in damage, before arriving in Asia.

The flying insects arrived in India in July and have since spread to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and China’s Yunnan province, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).They feed mostly on maize, for which China is the world’s second-largest producer, and can feed on several species of crops, including rice and sugarcane - two of Thailand’s main commodities.An FAO meeting will take place in Bangkok from Wednesday to Friday, with officials from affected countries and experts discussing ways to limit armyworm infestations amid a “growing sense of alarm.
”“We need to work together because this is a pest that has no respect for international boundaries, threatens our food security, our economies, domestic and international trade,” said Kundhavi Kadiresan, FAO’s assistant director-general and regional representative for Asia and the Pacific, in a statement.
FAO said it is working with local authorities and training farmers to manage the pests by crushing egg masses and using biopesticides.
Chemical pesticides are an option but should be carefully considered due to environmental and health damage, it added.

Urgent need for higher rice export quota to China: industry
THIHA KO KO 20 MAR 2019
The Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF) urged the government to facilitate the signing of an agreement that will firm up an official rice export quota to China at last week’s Private Sector Development Committee Meeting, which was led by the Vice President U Myint Swe.
MRF chair U Ye Min Aung urged the government to negotiate a higher rice export quota for Myanmar rice to ensure smoother trade of rice at the border. 
China currently imports commodities based on a quota system. Myanmar’s official export quota, set in 2016, is 100,000 tonnes of rice. According to data from the Ministry of Commerce, over 50 percent of Myanmar-produced rice is sold to China via the border. As such traders are lobbying for that quota to be quadrupled, to 400,000 tonnes.
“It is very important that a higher quota is reached because farmers and many companies along the supply chain rely on the trade during harvesting season,” U Ye Min Aung said.
Because of the existing quota, traders have resorted to exporting illegally, which has subjected trade at the border to volatile swings in demand and disruptions. Last December, for example, trading at the Muse border gate was suspended in a crackdown on illegal exports by the Chinese authorities. 
Last month, Chinese authorities seized around 50,000 tonnes of rice at Muse and have yet to release the stockpile. 
U Chan Thar Oo, vice chair of the Muse Rice and Paddy Commodity Exchange said the current situation is not appropriate and that both governments should come to a quick agreement under which Myanmar traders are not subject to disruptive checks by the Chinese. “The two governments should legalise the trade of rice by adjusting the export quota,” he said.
U Aung Htoo, deputy minister of commerce, said an MOU for higher export quotas for rice and broken rice to China via the border will be signed by “this month or next. Negotiations are at the final level now,” he said.
Myanmar exported 1.7 million tonnes of rice and broken rice worth US$ 578 million between April and December last year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.  Around 52pc was exported by sea, while the rest was sold at the border to China. 
At those levels, rice exports have decreased by over a third from 2.5 million tonnes worth US$780 million in the same period the year before. The main reason for the recent fall in exports is lower demand from China.


Lacson: Helping sustain farming in CL
MICHELLE CATAP LACSON
March 20, 2019
THE Provincial Government of Pampanga and Third District Representative Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales deserve acknowledgement for allocating P22 million for the rehabilitation and recovery program of 10,375 farmers who were affected by the typhoon and southwest monsoon last 2018.
This concrete effort, along with other initiatives such as providing support, machineries, equipment, and development for Kapampangan farmers, are indeed necessary to help sustain the industry of local farming in the province and in the region as well. At the same time, the strong pledge of local officials also ensure the stable livelihood of our local farmers.

While the apparent problem that confronts farmers include disasters and climate change, the continuous decline of young persons who are interested in agriculture is becoming more and more eminent. It is clear that while our government addresses these problems on rice production, the next important step to take is to guarantee that there will be a younger group of people who will continue the noble profession of farming.

Agriculture is one of the learning areas under the Technical-Vocational Livelihood [TVL) Track that covers specializations such as Agricultural Crop Production and Organic Agriculture. These are highly responsive to the increasing demand of industries for agriculture workers, aiming to breed a new blood of young farmers to replace the aging population of agriculture workers and will soon take part in the economic growth and development of the country.

As sustainable rice production remains one of the critical activities that the government is now focusing on, DepEd seeks to actively engage the agriculture teachers in developing among the young farmers with relevant skills and competencies and technology on rice farming. Further, given the right technology on rice farming, teachers shall be able to bring back the interest and love for agriculture among our students.

Last November 2018, DepEd and the PhilRice Institute conducted a training where a total of 90 DepEd Agriculture teachers were trained at the PhilRice Central Experiment Station. The five-day activity aimed to train the agriculture teachers on rice morphology and growth stages; farm machinery operations; palay check system; nutrient, pest, water and harvest management; including hands-on practicum.

In recent years, a number of agriculture teachers have been the recipients of the training programs on Infomediary and Climate Smart Agriculture. These forms of interventions contributed to better teaching farming practices that led to sustainable agriculture.
PM seeks more IRRI support to boost rice production in Bangladesh 

·     UNB NEWS

·     PUBLISH DATE - MARCH 21, 2019, 03:35 PM
·     UNB NEWS - UNB NEWS

·     154 VIEWS
·     UPDATE DATE - MARCH 21, 2019, 05:23 PM
Description: PM seeks more IRRI support to boost rice production in Bangladesh 
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina speaks with IRRI Director General Dr Matthew Morell at her office in Dhaka on Thursday, Mar 21, 2019. Photo: PID
Dhaka, Mar 21 (UNB) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to strengthen collaboration with Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) for increasing rice production in the country. 
She made the call when IRRI Director General Dr Matthew Morell met her at the Prime Minister’s Office.
PM's Speech Writer Md Nazrul Islam briefed reporters after the meeting.
The Prime Minister stressed the need for strengthening research works to invent saline-, cold- and draught-tolerant varieties of rice on a large scale, and improve deep water rice varieties.
She emphasised increasing the production capacity of rice in the country continuously as the arable land is declining.
“Our farmers are very smart and quick learners. They can easily adopt technology,” Nazrul quoted the Prime Minister as saying.
Talking about crop pattern, she said Bangladesh cultivates wheat, maize, pulse and other crops in the northern region, which need less water.
Hasina asked the authorities concerned to take steps to boost rice production in the southern region.
She stressed the need for increasing the use of surface water reducing dependence on underground water for irrigation to protect the environment. So, the country’s water bodies, including rivers, canals and beels, are being re-excavated for irrigation, she added.
The Prime Minister appreciated the existing collaboration between the IRRI and BRRI.
The IRRI Director General said IRRI is keen to take a collaborative programme with BRRI to increase rice production in Bangladesh.
Raising a 14-point action plan designed by IRRI under the collaborative programme, he said if the action plan can be implemented, Bangladesh will be able to go on high growth in rice production and sustain the country’s food security.
The action plans include increasing production in Aush areas, inventing varieties of Aman crops, increasing Boro production overcoming stagnancy, making hybrid rice suitable for local environment through research and introducing nutritious and healthy rice in Bangladesh.
The other action plans include inventing cold-tolerant Boro variety for Haor areas  protecting crops from flashflood, working on saline-tolerant varieties for coastal areas, overcoming harvesting and seed problems, enhancing mechanisation to reduce production cost, inventing climate changes-resistant varieties, shifting cropping pattern of the northern region to the southern regions and quacking dissemination of technology to farmers.
Dr Matthew said IRRI is interested to work on this action plans in a partnership with BRRI.
The Prime Minister appreciated the action plan.
Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque, Prime Minister’s International Affairs Advisor Dr Gowhar Rizvi, Agriculture secretary Md Nasiurzzaman ,
and PMO secretary Sajjadul Hassan were present. 
BRRI Director General Dr Md Shahjahan Kabir, IRRI representative for South Asia DrNafeesMeah and IRRI representative for Bangladesh DrHumnathBhandari were present at the meeting.
The IRRI is an independent, non-profit, research institute founded in 1960. The Philippines-based institute has offices in 17 rice-growing countries, including Bangladesh in Asia and Africa.
http://unb.com.bd/category/Bangladesh/pm-seeks-more-irri-support-to-boost-rice-production-in-bangladesh/15003